Which NEC article covers the feeder tap rule for taps under 25 feet?

Which NEC article covers the feeder tap rule for taps under 25 feet?

• A. Article 240.6
• B. Article 210.20 (A)
• C. Article 408.50
• D. Article 310.16

Answer: (A)

Taps from a feeder that are very short have a specific allowance you’ll use when sizing protection and conductors. The rule says that if a tap is under 25 feet, you can treat the connection as part of the feeder and use the feeder’s overcurrent protection for the tap, as long as the conductors are sized and installed to meet the required ampacity and protection coordination. This keeps the protection simple and reliable for a short run without needing a separate device right at the tap point, which is why it’s placed in the article that governs overcurrent protection for taps from feeders. Other articles cover different topics—receptacle branch circuits, panelboard construction and rating, and conductor ampacity calculations—so they don’t address this specific feeder-tap scenario.

Taps from a feeder that are very short have a specific allowance you’ll use when sizing protection and conductors. The rule says that if a tap is under 25 feet, you can treat the connection as part of the feeder and use the feeder’s overcurrent protection for the tap, as long as the conductors are sized and installed to meet the required ampacity and protection coordination. This keeps the protection simple and reliable for a short run without needing a separate device right at the tap point, which is why it’s placed in the article that governs overcurrent protection for taps from feeders. Other articles cover different topics—receptacle branch circuits, panelboard construction and rating, and conductor ampacity calculations—so they don’t address this specific feeder-tap scenario.